Food, Fashion, Travel and Wellness… In short we serve you fine life

Tag Archives: Fashion Trends

Girls, it’s truly one of our favourite times of the year… And come December, we already start figuring our New Year’s Eve plans and then the even bigger question which starts haunting us almost instantly is, “What to wear?”

We are certain that just about every girl goes through the same churn!!! But we are quite excited as Sonali this time around is sharing her thoughts on her ideal New Year’s Eve look for this season. She has kept in mind the current hot trends and what is more is that the look you’ll witness here is simple yet smart and comfortable yet chic. Time to share what she reckons shall truly turn heads as you dazzle to dine and wine with your date…

Velvet is absolutely hot this season and this one is a true stellar!Shop this Wine Velvet Shift Dress from http://www.thelabellife.comPrice-Rs.2,640/-

These heels are sure going to notch up your style quotient while notching up your height and confidence as well!Shop these Intoto Detailed Multi Strap Sandals from http://www.koovs.comPrice-Rs.2,099/-

Love great jewellery? You have to love Prerto then! These ones are just too classy!Shop these Crystal White Rubix from http://www.prerto.comPrice-Rs.3,000/-

Chokers are big this season, so glamourize the look with this stunner around your neck!Shop this Grunge Chic Choker Necklace from www.pipabella.comPrice-Rs.749/-

These are certainly our best friends for they let us carry all our essentials!
Shop this Nicole Genuine Leather Clutch from www.aqshop.com
Price-Rs.1,159/-

In company of these great fashion pieces, I already feel like a glam girl! Hope this post helps you plan your New Years Eve look better.And don’t forget to highlight your eyes and let some blush and gloss compliment well..Wishing you a Sparkling time!– Sonali

The whiff of dreams packed with determined and passionate efforts in realizing a unique vision into reality was instantly reflected when I came across the website- KlosetEdit for the very first time.

I readily related to the need for such a platform as we all have some outfits which only stare at us from our closets and seldom meet the cut for our, “Out of the Day” – so it sounds nothing less than amazing to be actually getting to sell them off. Or how about getting an opportunity to buy our most desirable labels at extremely attractive prices only because one of us decides to part ways with it. Yes, KlosetEdit gives closet management a whole new meaning. And that is exactly why I chose to indulge in tete-a-tete with Deepal and Kanika, the lady bosses who made it all happen…

Kanika Khurana and Deepal Gandhi

Q: Did you both always wanted to turn fashion entrepreneurs? Please share with us on what eventually led to the KlosetEdit?A: We met at LSE Summer School in 2010 and bonded over our love for all things fashion. One casual conversation of how “we feel like we have nothing to wear and yet have no space in our overflowing closets, wish we could just sell our closet for cash” led us to wonder if more women feel the same way! Post college, we took up full time corporate jobs while never leaving our idea behind. After conducting extensive market research, we realized that due to increase in demand for aspirational brands, better logistical support and changing mindset of the consumers, India was maturing as a market for pre-loved fashion. The thrill of building a brand to solve the closet needs propelled us to leave our jobs and plunge into the start-up life!

Q: For the benefit of our readers who have several items hanging in their closets lying unused for the longest time, please explain how they can benefit through KlosetEdit?A: It is a well surveyed fact that women only end up using 20% of the apparel from their closets, rest of the items make up for impulse purchases, unwanted gifts and sizes that don’t fit anymore. While we actively encourage women to donate items they no longer use, branded handbags and designer dresses that aren’t used anymore are hard to just give away! Thus, they keep lying in our closets, gathering dust and taking up space in our precious ‘real estate’. This is where KlosetEdit comes in the picture. We help women sell their ‘too tight’ impulse purchased jeans, barely used dresses and seasonal buys for something more chic, on point and affordable. In order to sell pre-loved fashion, a seller simply fills a simple seller form with a few details of the products being sent along with a few photos. We arrange a pick-up of the styles which are selected by our in-house stylist. Once the item comes to the warehouse, it goes through an extensive quality and authenticity check and a resale price is quoted to the seller, (only once the seller agrees to the pricing) we start the listing process. Everything from photography, hygiene to maintenance is taken care of by our team. As and when the product sells, we forward the money to the seller in form of a bank transfer or store credits.

Q: Most of us are familiar with the concept of vintage shops being in existence but how has the response been in the virtual world and particularly in the Indian market as far as purchasing a previously owned item is concerned?A: It has been overwhelming! Sure, there is still apprehension with pre-owned items, but the mindset is fast changing. Buying pre-loved is smart shopping. Why should you pay full retail price when you can buy new items from a variety of brands at up to 80% off? Our excessive focus on QC and curation has led to customers calling us to appreciate the quality of items they have received. Maintaining high quality standards and being extremely transparent about the condition of the items has helped us win loyal customers all over India. We are constantly working towards making buying and selling of fashion as informative and hassle free as possible.

Q: Do you accept only high-end labels? How does one decide what to send for selling and what not?A: We love all brands from Zara to LV! One can sell anything from a Mango dress to a Hollister skirt to MK bag to Jimmy Choo shoes. We accept most brands from high street to high-end fashion, simply because we don’t want to restrict our collection and we believe each pre-loved item that is in a great condition deserves to be loved again! That being said, we request each seller to look at our list of brands we love and detailed quality standards before scheduling a pick-up with us.

Q: What would you like to say to all those young girls who have a dream but are not able to take it to the next level?A: Make it happen! Life is too short to miss opportunities. It is always tough to take the plunge, but have a plan, work with a focus and no matter what, don’t stop believing! Starting up has its own highs and lows but the highs are so rewarding. There is no feeling in the world better than seeing your dream turn into a reality.

Q: On a lighter note, when was the last time you got tempted to buy something one of your seller’s sent for the website?A: EVERYDAY! Honestly, if someone was to ask us on what is the biggest challenge? It sure is this! We get such amazing styles that we really have to control each other from not buying products ourselves!

Q: Lastly, tell us about the future plans for KlosetEdit?A: We have been overwhelmed with the response we have got thus far, winning buyers and sellers trust has been the most exhilarating part of our journey. Future plans include geographical expansion, we have seen interest from varied parts of the country and vertical expansion. We also plan to add more styles and categories so people are always looking forward to pre-loved fashion. All of these plans are centered around the customer and ensuring that we provide the best to them.

So, as I wrap up, it is best that you now straight head to check out their phenomenal endeavor @klosetedit.com

Well, this one is certainly going to be a treasured blog post as it is going to take both of us down memory lane of a summer so special with two weeks packed with laughter and fun. For few already know, that we got lucky enough to do a proper holiday together for the very first time just sometime back. Needless to say that we made the most of it in the true “bestie spirit”…

So, it all started with me taking the Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul. Since I was entering Europe via Istanbul, I thought of just staying back for a couple of days and exploring what I have seen in pictures is pure beauty. Travelling solo abroad does give one a kick for sure. However, I did exercise wisdom and did some good amount of homework. On stepping out of the Istanbul Atatürk Airport, I hopped into a yellow taxi and had my driver take me to my hotel in the Taksim area. Well, I stayed at the Metropolitan Hotels and must share that I found my room to be very comfortable. All three dishes which I ordered at the hotel were quite well done including the Turkish style Ravioli in yogurt and tomato sauce. The first day, I decided to explore the Taksim street which is rather happening, I didn’t go big on shopping right away as I had much of the trip left and had very happily come with a mind of not going overboard with retail therapy. I landed up at this cosmetic store-Flormar and was lucky enough to get a make-over of sorts. Post which I did explore many stores and eventually, tried what I had heard so much about, the very famous Turkish ice-cream. Well, just the way it is put onto the cone is overwhelming. Next day, I was waiting in great anticipation for the pre-booked tour of mine. First up, we saw the Topkapı Palace which was one of the major residences of the Ottoman sultans for almost 400 years, it was truly opulent and the most amazing area of the palace was the one from where you get a splendid view of the Bosphorus. The first time I witnessed it, I just wanted the time to freeze. Up next, we headed to the beautiful Rustem Pasha Mosque post which I got off to the Grand Bazaar. It was bright, colourful and had almost never ending shops. It is here that I tried a very interesting pomegranate flavoured tea and also got myself a Turkish scent. Talking about the local stuff, since I had heard so much about it, I did try the Turkish bagel– Simit as well. So, this was about some of the stuff I did in Istanbul during my short stay of 2 days.

Further, my excitement held no bounds as I was going to be at my dream destination-Amsterdam and was going to reunite with my definite better half- Shagun. Outside the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, I waited for the shuttle to our hotel- Ramada Apollo Centre. The hotel enjoys a decent location and I found our room to be comfortable and clean as well. In Amsterdam, we walked and explored quite a bit…

Here are few experiences which gave us a high in the purest sense:

Visit to Café Winkel for one of the best apple pies we have ever had!!!

For we were missing Indian food, we headed to Ashoka-an Indian and Nepalese Restaurant and everything we ordered was rather authentic…

For what provided the perfect pump to our day was the delicious brunch at Roasters & Bakers. As they correctly say, “B&R is a New Zealand style café served with a heavy dose of Brazil.”

For pure pizza lovers like us, a meal at De Pizzabakkers was so worth it!

The Canal Cruise proved to be such a beautiful way of exploring the city…

Hopping on to a quick ferry ride to get on the opposite side of the Central Station and post lots and lots of walking, we landed up at a super exciting flea market and then, at a lovely little space by the name of Fashion & Tea where a quick refreshing drink was truly enjoyable!

For those who love to indulge in retail therapy, Nine Streets has much to offer 😛

Relaxing at the urban Vondelpark…

Fries, fries and more fries 🙂

Post falling in absolute love with Amsterdam, we boarded our train to the love city of Paris for many fall in love in this city…Here are few experiences, mentioning about them is bringing a smile on my face yet again…

Watching the French Open live… This one would sure be on the bucket list of tennis lovers…

Chilling at the Little Red Door- An awesome cocktail bar…

For the luxury shopping experience, a visit to Galeries Lafayette!

Gorge on Macaroons and try as many flavours… And don’t forget to go big on desserts when in Paris!

Love and the urge to further explore the Vietnamese cuisine took us to Maison Sen.

Checking out the Eiffel Tower at night had its own charm!

A cozy space with amazing wine and a worthwhile cheese platter was on offer by Chez George’s.

Indulged in some lip-smacking Italian food at Salento!

Checking out stores after stores at Le Marais…

Louvre and Musee d’Orsay proved to be best museums pick for my first visit to Paris…

Besides at the above, quick pictures at the Luxembourg Gardens and outside Notre Dame shall be with me as keeps.

And finally, we headed to the city where my bestie resides- Berlin, a place I was truly able to explore and love like a local- thanks to these guys! Visits to the Berlin Wall, The Wall Museum, Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island, Berliner Dom, Hackescher Markt and Friedrich Strasse were truly memorable and worthwhile…And don’t forget to relax enough at their lovely parks. And I must add that I had some amazing food in Berlin whether it was the eggs at Napoljonska, trying out pretty much World cuisine including Indonesian and Austrian at a Kids Carnival or Italian at Trattoria Toscana or Californian-style burrito at Dolores-all of it was awesome.
All I can say is that I am filled with gratitude for this dream holiday and have come back feeling richer packed with experiences of a lifetime and the assurance of having a solid relationship called friendship…

We love roses, we totally do… And we love fashion too, you know we do! However, not so often do we see a perfect marriage of both but you all get ready for a beautiful surprise as we both doll-up in outfits from the immensely talented designer Nitya Bajaj’s Valentine Collection where the red rose is truly the hero.

The cuts, fabrics, hues and designs truly reflect great modernity and chicness.

For both of us it was love at first sight as far as this collection was concerned as we totally fell for it the very first time we came across the stuff. Whether it was the gowns, dresses, jackets or the crop tops- we have been drooling over them all.

The post is even more special as after a very long time both of us have been captured together and that too in Germany’s cultural center- Berlin. Well, what makes it even more special is that the profound relationship of friendship too epitomizes love and we will always be each other’s Valentine. Hence, we reckon we are great ambassadors for this collection 😉

The wait is finally over, presenting to you Shagun Tomar and Sonali Vij in Label Nitya Bajaj’s Crop Top and Summer Jacket (respectively) from their splendid collection.

Helipadonheels wishes you all lots of love and smiles!!! Here’s to the love of friendship!!!

There was much excitement in the Capital on Friday as the Iconic sports lifestyle brand ASICS Tiger announced its presence in India via the e-commerce platform, jabong.com.

Good news for both men and women is that there is much to choose from in their Spring Summer 2016 collection which looks very appealing. The retail prices shall range from Rs. 5999 to Rs. 12499 and this collection shall focus on the fusion of ASICS Japanese heritage and modern fair.

Rajat Khurana, Director for ASICS India said, “Announcing ASICS Tiger in India is a mark of great accomplishment for our team, and we are excited to present a range of high quality footwear to the street fashion-savvy market in India. ASICS Tiger products have the perfect blend of ASICS heritage technology to provide maximum support and modern designs for the fashion and style conscious audience. It was a strategic decision to enter the market via e-commerce keeping in mind the evolving buying patterns of consumers, especially the fast paced fashion centric audience.”

Well, even writing this post is bringing a smile to my face and that truly highlights the fact that I really had a lot of fun at the Bloggers Meet hosted by the Latin Quarters at their store in DLF Mall of India, Noida.

That morning was bright and colourful both inside and out as on walking into the store, I witnessed their fabulous Spring Summer’16 #TheNewMe collectionwhich was full of life. I have to admit that I personally loved so many of their pieces and could actually visualize them in my closet. The clothes looked very comfortable, wearable and trendy.

In fact, what took the excitement level a notch higher was when we were asked to pick chits and dress-up basis the theme we received. I was super happy to receive the theme-Folklore. I got thinking and instantly picked up the dress below which was super stylish but then glancing through even more, I picked up something which I loved even more.

It is summer time so it is also time to wear a lot of white, what say?

While you will see the final look right below, accessorizing wisely was the decision I made. I must add that the brand also offers a decent variety of accessories.

So, here you will see me posing in white and to add a dash of a pretty colour, I opted for a Latin Quarters Tote Bag and not to miss mentioning about the pair of super elegant earrings which I picked up. It was an amazing experience meeting all these lovely ladies and fellow bloggers 🙂

I would even like to thank the team yet again for a wonderful morning and the lovely goodies which they presented us.

Lastly, would just like to add that Latin Quarters Spring Summer’16 range truly endeavours to recreate the modern woman’s look with #TheNewMe themed collection. The range promises to weave a psychedelic wardrobe of floral motifs, animal prints and digital graphics in spunky and pastel color contrasts.

So, now when are you playing dress-up next post your retail therapy at the Latin Quarters? Do share!

So, finally Delhi Winters have arrived! We all have been waiting to wear those chic coats and stunning boots, haven’t we? And winter weddings are no fun if we aren’t able to show-off how well we brave the winters in those ultra glamorous blouses, don’t you agree?

Ladies, wait no more and step out in your fashionable best this winter! The combination of winters and fashion is conceived by many as an excuse to look rather boring but this interview post with a superlative fashion designer is sure to come handy and help you all dress up like never before this season. What is also a known fact is that almost everyone around us seems to be getting married, so our expert also lends some fashion advise for these months when love is ought to be in the air…

Let us confess straight up, we absolutely love her cozy boutique nestled in the locales of Shahpur Jat in New Delhi and what adds to the whole experience is how this designer takes time to warmly embrace each client and helps them make the best buy! No more guess work, it is time to share about this label which has done umpteen spectacular shows, has been covered in leading glossies and has been worn by several Bollywood celebrities like Sonakshi Sinha, Kalki Koechlin, Prachi Desai, Gauhar Khan and many others.

Label NITYA BAJAJ celebrates WOMANHOOD…the femininity, the elegance and the power of being-SHE with distinction. The brand is truly synonymous with ethereal luxury.

Fashion Designer Nitya Bajaj

Now, let us hear what Nitya Bajaj has to say about winter fashion and more…

Q: Three things you reckon that girls must have in their closets this winter?Nitya:A Neutral colored trench to cover-up, a woolen scarf and full sleeve warmers.

Q: Three fashion trends which are a complete no-no this winter?Nitya:Drab and sloppy clothing are a big No-NO for any season. Be sharp, be bold, be you!

Q: Tell us about your fashion icon?Nitya:I admire Kangna Ranaut and Victoria Beckham for their innate sense of style.

Q: Love is in the air… Just about everyone is getting married and next month is Valentine’s Day, your style tips for our readers please…Nitya: Avoid RED! It is clichéd and overdone! February is a beautiful month; it is also my anniversary month. I suggest you experiment with colors. Red can be worn on other ceremonies too besides the wedding day!

Q: What makes for the perfect look for a bride?Nitya:Her confidence and smile!

Q: This Valentine’s Day opt for…Nitya:Giving love to the needy! Help the underprivileged!

Q: Nitya Bajaj and spectacular gowns are almost synonymous… Your advice for to-be brides who are looking for gowns?Nitya:Come to Label Nitya Bajaj!!!

Lastly, let’s play rapid fire….

Gold or SilverNitya:Silver

Gown or SariNitya:Both

Bold Colours or PastelsNitya:Pastels

London or New YorkNitya: London

We can’t thank Nitya enough for making this happen and ensuring the first blog post of 2016 is an ultra cool one! We hope you all enjoyed this post as much as we did putting it together for you! Wishing you all a wonderful 2016!